Earnings Season Is Almost in the Books -- but Guidance Is the Real Story Investors Need to Read
Key takeaways
- Jennifer Saibil, The Motley Fool Tue, May 26, 2026 at 11:05 PM GMT+7 6 min read ^GSPC NVDA PLTR COST Will AI create the world s first trillionaire?
- Most of the biggest public companies in the U.S. have released their 2026 first-quarter earnings reports (or equivalents) by now, and they tell the story of a strong and resilient U.S. economy.
- The most exciting part of the story is artificial intelligence (AI).
Jennifer Saibil, The Motley Fool Tue, May 26, 2026 at 11:05 PM GMT+7 6 min read ^GSPC NVDA PLTR COST Will AI create the world s first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on a little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly," providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue »
Most of the biggest public companies in the U.S. have released their 2026 first-quarter earnings reports (or equivalents) by now, and they tell the story of a strong and resilient U.S. economy. According to FactSet s May 21 update, 84% of the companies in the benchmark S&P 500 index have beaten estimates on earnings per share, while 81% outperormed on revenue estimates.
The most exciting part of the story is artificial intelligence (AI). Companies like Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) and Palantir Technologies (NASDAQ: PLTR) are demonstrating accelerating growth and anticipate a long runway. But even companies you might expect to be reeling from the impact of high inflation, like Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ: COST) and Walmart (NASDAQ: WMT), are reporting fantastic numbers.